After an early-season lack of snow in Europe saw the start of the ski cross season delayed due to cancellations in Val Thorens, France and Montafon, Austria, the eventual season-opener proved to be worth the wait.

The ladies' big final included four athletes with a dizzying number of crystal globe wins, World Championship titles and Olympic medals to their names.

Canada's Sochi 2014 Olympic champion Marielle Thompson jumped out to an early lead, only to be passed by both Sandra Naeslund, Sweden’s fourth-place Olympic racer at Pyeongchang 2018 and Smith, the Pyeongchang bronze medallist.

Naeslund, the defending overall World Cup champion, then opened a small lead on Smith which she would hold onto through the bottom two thirds of the course and, it appeared, across the line.

However, the high-speed finish line camera revealed that Smith, gaining momentum by doubling-up on the final roller section, had caught and out-reached Naeslund by a mere finger-length, giving the 26-year-old her 14th career World Cup victory, and her third in Arosa.

"When I crossed the line, the first thing I thought was, 'that was a fun race,'" Smith said.

"It was ski cross like I like it, with all the girls close together.

"But I was sure that Sandra was first.

"Then when I saw the result, it was just like 'wow, this is crazy'.

"And for Jonas to win too, I mean, fire from the Swiss team.

"It's really special.

"All summer we're together and having fun and training, and then to have this result at the first race in Switzerland is awesome."

With Naeslund taking second place, third went to Thompson, who held off the challenge of fourth-place finisher Andrea Limbacher of Austria, who was making a successful return to World Cup competition after missing all of the 2017-2018 World Cup season with a knee injury.

The 29-year-old Lenherr had raised Swiss hopes before the men's final with a series of fast starts and heat wins.

In the big final, however, it was Victor Oehling Norberg who got out of the gate the fastest, although that lead would be short-lived as Lenherr, on the inside line, dove through the first turn in front of the Swede.

It was a narrow lead, however, and Lenherr and Oehling Norberg, along with Lenherr's team-mate Alex Fiva and Bastian Midol of France, all entered Arosa's negative turn so close together that a crash seemed likely.

Out of the chaos Lenherr was able to stretch the lead out a little more, and he would keep it through to the finish line for his third career victory.

Oehling Norberg took second, with Fiva finishing third.

"It's amazing, just amazing," Lenherr said.

"I had good starts and fast skis and at the end of the day I'm on top of the podium.

"And to share the podium with my good friend Alex, making three podiums for the Swiss, I'm so proud of him."

From Arosa, the shortened 2018 edition of the Cross Alps Tour moves to Innichen/San Candido in Italy for back-to-back competitions at what is the longest-running stop on the FIS Ski Cross World Cup circuit - now entering its 10th year.

Competition in Innichen will take place from December 21 to 22.